Monthly Archives: April 2013

April 20th, 2013
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Cinnamon and Honey

Drug companies won’t like this one getting around. Facts on Honey and Cinnamon:
It is found that a mix of honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Scientists of today also note honey as very effective medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without side effects which is also a plus. Today’s science says that even though honey is sweet, when it is taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm even diabetic patients. Researched by western scientists:

HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, put it on toast instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol and could potentially save one from heart attack. Also, even if you have already had an attack studies show you could be kept miles away from the next attack. Regular use of cinnamon honey strengthens the heartbeat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as one ages the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalize the arteries and the veins.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients can benefit by taking one cup of hot water with two tablespoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. When taken daily even chronic arthritis can be cured. In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week (out of the 200 people so treated) practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain — and within a month, most all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis now started walking without pain.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder….who knew?

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water given to a cholesterol patient was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10 percent within two hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, when taken three times a day, any chronic cholesterol-could be cured. According to information received in the said Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for three days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold, and, clear the sinuses, and it’s delicious too!

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also is said to clear stomach ulcers from its root.

GAS: According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when Honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to fight bacterial and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food is eaten relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals

INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ‘Ingredient’ which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age. Use four teaspoons of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder, and three cups of boiling water to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, three to four times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age. Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

RASPY OR SORE THROAT: When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take one tablespoon of honey and sip until gone. Repeat every three hours until throat is without symptoms.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it off the next morning with warm water. When done daily for two weeks, it removes all pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin Infections.

WEIGHT LOSS: Daily in the morning one half hour before breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of water. When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also, drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder three times a day for one month.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens who take honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible. Dr. Milton, who has done research, says that a half tablespoon of honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, even when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, when taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M., the vitality of the body increases within a week.

BAD BREATH: People of South America, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water first thing in the morning so their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder, taken in equal parts restores hearing.

Remember when we were kids? We had toast with real butter

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April 19th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Homemade Cinnamon Mouthwash for Bad Breath

Here’s a great recipe from those at everydayroots.

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Bad breath (officially known as halitosis, if it’s chronic) is a problem that can be caused by anything from an over-load of bacteria in your mouth, underlying dental problems, or just a stinky snack with foods like garlic or onions. But that mouthwash that you buy at the store…why is it electric green or bright purple anyways? If you  take a moment to read the label, you’ll find you’re not getting much more than a mouthful of chemicals, artificial coloring, and flavoring that does little to help your breath for more than a half hour or so. It may actually do more damage long-term-one of the most popular ingredients in mouthwash is ethyl alcohol, which can weaken the lining of your gums. Although inconclusive, Stanford University has conducted research that may link certain mouthwash to oral cancer. So the next time you need to freshen your breath, try making this DIY mouth rinse. It’s inexpensive, refreshing, and effective-not to mention that you know what’s in it, and can take comfort in the fact that it’s not the color of toxic sludge.


Ingredients: Cinnamon powder, honey, lemon juice, baking soda (optional).

Why cinnamon: Unlike mint, which tends to just mask the smell of bad breath, cinnamon actually gets rid of the odor by killing off odor-causing bacteria. The International Association for Dental Research found that people who chewed cinnamon gum had a 50% decrease in oral bacteria versus people who chewed mint.


Why honey: Honey makes everything taste better, but it also has antibacterial properties. If possible, get Manuka honey. Manuka honey is from New Zealand, and contains 127 times the amount of methylglyoxa, which is the antimicrobial agent that kills off bacteria, than acacia honey (the regular sweet stuff you usually see.) Always try to get organic raw honey.

Why lemon juice: Lemon has a strong refreshing citrus scent that can help with nasty cases of bad breath.


Why baking soda: Baking soda wipes out nasty things (like bad bacteria) and has been shown to help whiten teeth.

You will need…

-2 lemons
-1/2 tablespoon of cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1 ½ teaspoons of honey
-1 cup of warm water
-A bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid



Directions

Put ½ tablespoon of cinnamon into a bottle or jar with a tight fitting lid, and add the juice of 2 freshly squeezed lemons along with 1 ½ teaspoons of honey. If you’d like you can also add in 1/2-1 teaspoon of baking soda and omit the honey, or use both. Pour 1 cup of very warm water (needed to melt the honey) into the jar, and stir well. When you need to freshen up your breath, give it a quick shake and swish/gargle 1-2 tablespoons for 1 minute.


 

Via: everydayroots

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April 18th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Home Made Caramel


 

Unopened can of condensed milk + 8 hours on low (completely submerged in water) in the crock pot + cool down in the fridge = Caramel! This is the best caramel I’ve ever had, let alone made! It’s so easy! Need to try this!

 

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April 17th, 2013
post by policysup | | 1

WROL: Don’t Hasten the Day


Rule of Law

Back in 2009 YouTube Guru Nutnfancy (Richard Hewitt) posted a foundational video on the subject “Rule of Law” and it’s antagonist “Without Rule of Law”.  As such he was one of the first persons on YouTube (with a significant group of followers), to produce a video on this subject. This month he re-uploaded the video and earns our attention with that.

Nutnfancy’s message is – in his own words – not one of “gloom and doom” but encourages everyone to enjoy what we have today: a (mostly) stable and safe society with al kinds of public services working for the good of all civilians.

In the same video he also addresses some issues he later covers in additional videos, such as “WROL: Why you need communities” and “WROL: Rules of engagement“, both also featured at this website as WROL Philosophy video’s.

As his video is – yet – another foundational video on the subject of Rule of Law, we post it here as well.

As usual: if you haven’t seen it yet, please do watch it and subscribe to his excellent YouTube Channel.

 Without Rule of Law: “Don’t Hasten the Day” by Nutnfancy (re-upload 2012)


Video notes by Nutnfancy:

 A serious video on a serious subject. Here I encourage the investment of your time under ROL as I feel someday it will be gone. We have grown accustomed to having the Rule of Law in our societies. This ROL is the very foundation of our lives and allows us to got to work, make money, use money, have fun, make memories, and stay safe. We should all support ROL. That’s because the loss of ROL has some very serious implications. The occurrence of WROL (“Without the Rule of Law”), will probably bring widespread crime, destruction, violence, suffering, and death. I do not purport to know the timeframe or cause of WROL but I think we may see it in our lifetimes. WROL can happen on various graduations or levels but in its reference I usually talk of worst case: the complete loss of the societal engine. It could be brought on by the cessation of public services and commodities (unavailable food, gas or electricity), caused by natural disaster, economic collapse, or war, The aftermath of the 1992 Rodney King Riots and 2005 Hurricane Katrina gave us insights of what to expect. And these were just localized events but expect much worse if WROL is more widespread (which I think it will be), Evil elements in our society at mostly kept in check by our designated sheep dogs, the law enforcement entities with our cities. They are a critical part of ROL. However in WROL expect most emergency services to be overwhelmed, scattered, or just non-functional. With their loss evil will surge and even good people will do bad things in desperate circumstances. It will be up to you to provide for your own safety and that of your neighborhood. Most people, softened by modern life, will be unable to mentally or materially cope with the full advent of WROL and will simply be shocked into inaction. That’s because to them it is so unthinkable to lose their cell phone, their TV, and other conveniences, never mind food, clothing, sanitation, and medical care. As such they have made no preparations, mental or otherwise, to become independent, tough, and ready for WROL. The self-reliant lessons of our pioneer ancestors have been foolishly forgotten and discarded. These life lessons will be re-learned and adopted in order to survive in WROL. Expect the resilience of the village as well: neighborhoods and good people will always band together to barter, work share, and make living easier. This is also good. Some people, concerned over the loss of our freedoms (which seems to be accelerating), might want to launch into WROL to fix our political system that might reach serious levels of corruptness and totalitarianism. I can’t say this will never be necessary but I advocate extreme caution in such thinking while maintaining a mature perspective on the issue of consequences. Defense of the Constitution lies first in the political process. Be tireless in your political efforts to defend it and freedom and people who fail in THIS obligation have no right to complaint or adopt recourse. Furthermore, I think WROL will happen on its own, an outgrowth of events that will drive the process… the apple will fall from the tree under its own weight. So until that time make reasonable preparations to be self-reliant and more capable under WROL. This is not paranoid, weird, or wishing for calamity… it’s smart. Also in all situations I advocate being an agent of good and helping others as much as possible. This goodness might be in short supply under WROL. Finally, make the most of your time in ROL because the day will probably come when you wish you had.

Via: wrol

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April 16th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Survival Antibiotics

This is a great article by Dr. Bones, an M.D. and Nurse Amy, an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner.  They’re Preppers and Certified Master Gardeners bringing you traditional and alternative medical strategies for survival in times of trouble.

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We were at the recent USA Prepares event in Missouri and many of the questions that we fielded during our time there related to the stockpiling of medicines and what each medicine was useful for in times of trouble. There isn’t a 60 second answer to this. Actually, there isn’t a 60 MINUTE answer to this, but anyone that is interested in preserving the health of their loved ones in a collapse will have to learn what antibiotics will work in a particular situation.

It’s important to start off by saying that you will not want to indiscriminately use antibiotics for every minor ailment that comes along. In a collapse, the medic is also a quartermaster of sorts; you will want to wisely dispense that limited and, yes, precious supply of life-saving drugs. Having said this, not having antibiotics in your storage will result, in a grid-down scenario, in the unnecessary deaths of members of your group to infections incurred from activities of daily survival.  An infected cut from chopping wood, for example, may travel to the circulation, causing a life-threatening condition known as “Septicemia” or “sepsis“.  In the History Channel series “After Armageddon“, this was the cause of death of an EMT due to the lack of antibiotics in the community medical storage.


            Infected Cut

Liberal use of antibiotics is a poor strategy for a few reasons:

· Overuse can foster the spread of resistant bacteria. Antibiotics routinely given to turkeys recently caused a resistant strain of Salmonella that put over 100 people in the hospital. 36 million birds were destroyed.

· Potential allergic reactions may occur that could lead to anaphylactic shock (see my recent article on this topic).

· Making a diagnosis may be more difficult if you give antibiotics before you’re sure what medical problem you’re actually dealing with. The antibiotics might temporarily “mask” a symptom, which could cost you valuable time in determining the correct treatment.

You can see that judicious use of antibiotics, under your close supervision, is necessary to fully utilize their benefits. Discourage your group members from using these drugs without first consulting you.  Remember, YOU are in charge of making these (sometime difficult) decisions to parcel out your limited medical supplies.  Use them wisely.

There are many antibiotics, but what antibiotics accessible to the average person would be good additions to your medical storage? Each antibiotic belongs to its own family and is useful for different ailments. Here are some common antibiotics (most available in veterinary form without a prescription) that you will want in your medical arsenal and their veterinary equivalent:

  • · Amoxicillin 250mg AND 500mg (FISH-MOX, FISH-MOX FORTE)
  • · Ciprofloxacin 250mg and 500mg(FISH-FLOX, FISH-FLOX FORTE)
  • · Cephalexin 250mg and 500mg (FISH-FLEX, FISH-FLEX FORTE)
  • · Metronidazole 250mg (FISH-ZOLE)
  • · Doxycycline 100mg (BIRD-BIOTIC)
  • · Ampicillin 250mg and 500mg (FISH-CILLIN, FISH-CILLIN FORTE)
  •   Clindamycin 300mg (FISH-CIN)
  • · Sulfamethoxazole 400mg/Trimethoprin 80mg (BIRD-SULFA)

There are various others that you can choose, but the selections above will give you the opportunity to treat many illnesses and have enough variety so that even those with Penicillin allergies with have options. Cephalexin, although not in the same drug family, has been quoted as having a 10% cross-reactivity rate with Penicillin.   There are many others that meet my criteria:

1)They must only be produced in human dosages, although they are “supposed” to be for fish

2)The only ingredient must be the antibiotic itself.  Nothing else that makes your scales more shiny or your fins longer

3)They must appear identical to their human equivalents when removed from the bottle

4)They must be available without a prescription

5)They must be available for purchase in bulk

This article addresses  one of the most common antibiotics available in aquatic equivalents.  Amoxicillin (Aquarium version: FISH-MOX, FISH-MOX FORTE, AQUA-MOX): comes in 250mg and 500mg doses, usually taken 3 times a day. Amoxicillin is the most popular antibiotic prescribed to children, usually in liquid form. More versatile and better absorbed than the older Pencillins, Amoxicillin may be used for the following diseases:

· Anthrax (Prevention or treatment of Cutaneous transmission)

· Chlamydia Infection (sexually transmitted)

· Urinary Tract Infection (bladder/kidney infections)

· Helicobacter pylori Infection (causes peptic ulcer)

· Lyme Disease (transmitted by ticks)

· Otitis Media (middle ear infection)

· Pneumonia (lung infection)

· Sinusitis

· Skin or Soft Tissue Infection (cellulitis, boils)

· Actinomycosis (causes abscesses in humans and livestock)

· Bronchitis

· Tonsillitis/Pharyngitis (Strep throat)

This is a lot of information, but how do you approach determining what dose and frequency would be appropriate for what individual? Let’s take an example: Otitis Media is a common ear infection, especially in children. Amoxicillin is often the “drug of choice” for this condition, although it is not necessary so for some of the above-listed illnesses.

First, you would want to determine that your patient is not allergic to Amoxicillin. The most common form of allergy would appear as a rash, but diarrhea, itchiness, and even respiratory difficulty could also manifest. If your patient is allergic, another antibiotic such as Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprin or Cephalexin could be a “second-line” solution.

Once you have identified Amoxicillin as your choice to treat your patient’s ear infection, you will want to determine the dosage. As Otitis Media often occurs in children, you might have to break a tablet in half or open the capsule to separate out a portion that would be appropriate. For Amoxicillin, you would give 20-50mg per kilogram of body weight (20-30mg/kg for infants less than four months old). This would be useful if you have to give the drug to a toddler less than 30 pounds. A common child’s dosage would be 250mg and a common maximum dosage for adults would be 500 mg. Take this orally 3 times a day for 10 to 14 days (twice a day for infants). Luckily, these dosages are exactly how the commercially-made medications come.

If your child is too small to swallow a pill whole, you could make a mixture with water (called a “suspension”). To make a liquid, crush a tablet or empty a capsule into a small glass of water and drink it; then, fill the glass again and drink that (particles may adhere to the walls of the glass). You can add some flavoring to make it more palatable. Do not chew or make a liquid out of time-released capsules of any medication, you will wind up losing some of the gradual release effect and perhaps get too much into your system at once. These medications should be plainly marked “Time-Released”.

Anytime you, as medic, place a person on a new medication or supplement, they should be carefully watched for signs of allergy. If they develop a rash, itching, diarrhea, or other untoward symptoms, you should discontinue your treatment and look for other options.

You will be probably see improvement within 3 days, but don’t be tempted to stop the antibiotic therapy until you’re done with the entire 10-14 days. Sometimes, you’ll kill most of the bacteria but some colonies may persist and multiply if you prematurely end the treatment. In a collapse, however, you might be down to your last few pills and have to make some tough decisions.

For official recommendations regarding the use of Amoxicillin to treat the other illnesses listed, consider investing in a book called the Physician’s Desk Reference. It will have all this information (and more) on just about any medication manufactured today. Listed are indications, dosages, side effects, risks, and even how the drug works in the body. Online sources such as drugs.com or rxlist.com are also useful, but you are going to want a hard copy for your library. You never know when we might not have a functioning internet.

 Dr. Bones

If you want even more in-depth info check out their book: The Survival Medicine Handbook

Via: doomandbloom

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April 15th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Prepping is Timeless

Prepping is not some kind of “new trend”.  It’s been around in some form or another for centuries.  Those who thrived were those who put away food and supplies for the winter.

In the Old Testament of the Bible, Joseph had prophetic dreams.  He convinced the Pharaoh to allow him to store away food from the 7 years of good harvest to survive the 7 years of famine that were to come. Joseph told his family, “God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.” Genesis 45:7.

Archaeologists keep discovering caches of food that some archaic soul had stored away.  For example, in Arkansas, a village of the Woodland Indians dating back to 600-900 AD was discovered.  The settlement was a small farming village.  Scientists found caches of nuts and seeds that had been lightly roasted, then buried in covered pits.  The crops became larger as the Indians learned new methods for storing their harvests.

In the 18th century, Napoleon Bonaparte announced a contest with a cash prize to the person who could develop a reliable way to preserve food and keep his armies fed. Nicolas Appert, a French cook and inventor, spent 14 years perfecting his method, based on the process of wine-making.  He originally used glass jars sealed with wax and reinforced with wire and discovered that heating the food in the jar kept it from spoiling.  People have used root cellars, canning, drying and smoking for centuries in order to preserve their harvest and the bounty of their hunts, to prepare for the days when food might not be abundant.

During the Great Depression, those who lived in the country fared far better than those in the cities.  They were able to grow food and livestock and preserve their harvests.  The people who were able to acquire a pressure canner actually thrived, able to put back fruits, vegetables and meats for the lean winter months.

None of these people mentioned would have thought it was anything but common sense to store away food and goods for difficult times, but by today’s definition, they were all preppers.

We are on the cusp of facing our generation’s own Great Depression.  Many people have lost their jobs, their cars and some, even their homes.  There will be more losses to come as the economic situation becomes more and more desperate. However, a prudent person can prepare for many of these things.  There are strategies for surviving an economic collapse that make up the backbone of preparedness.  You must keep your family fed and sheltered and you may not be able to do that without some advance planning.

Being a prepper doesn’t mean that you are fearful and worried.  It actually gives you a peace of mind that the non-prepper cannot attain.  If you are a prepper:

Let’s face it; we’re all afraid, to some degree, of the unknown.  Considering the things that might happen – the “known unknowns” – and preparing for those events, can provide us with the peace of mind then we, along with our families, will be okay.  We all know what natural disasters might affect our areas:  floods, hurricanes, blizzards.  If we live near a nuclear power plant or a chemical facility, we understand the risks.  Pandemics occur, jobs are lost and power goes out.  Learning about these scenarios and planning for them will help to lessen the fear when and if they do occur.  While others are paralyzed and trying to figure out what is going on, you and your family will be ahead of the game, well on route to survival.

Preparedness is an investment in your future.  It’s insurance against the unknown.  Nearly everyone is a prepper to some extent, whether they realize it or not.  We don’t buy homeowner’s insurance because we are certain our house will burn down – we buy it just in case our house unexpectedly falls victim to fire or a natural disaster.  We don’t keep Tylenol in the medicine cabinet because we want to have a headache or fever – we keep it just in case of such an event.  Stocking up on food for a situation in which we might not be able to get any is the same type of insurance – it’s there if we need it.

Via: readynutrition

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April 14th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Surviving Job Loss

One of the most frightening things that can happen to an adult, short of violence, is an unexpected call into the manager’s office at work.  When you walk in and see that paper sitting face down and the boss shifting uncomfortably in his chair, you just know before he even opens his mouth….your job is gone.

If you’ve ever had this experience, you know about the immense feeling of panic, the encroaching fear, the pounding heart and the emotions that come.  You try to maintain your composure and go out with dignity.  You know there is no point in arguing, because the paperwork is done, the decision is made and you’re out.

You are best not to sign anything.  The company, particularly a larger company, is going to be looking after its own interests.  Your 401K, pension, and unemployment benefits may be at risk, so it’s important to read the documents at your leisure and even have an attorney take a look if there is a great deal of money at stake.

For most people, the first stop is the unemployment office.  This is as it should be.  Never think of unemployment as welfare – this is something that you have paid into for your entire working life – it’s like insurance.  If your house burned down, would you refuse the check from the insurance company because it felt like charity?  Unemployment is the same thing. It is a safety net you have created for yourself with payroll deductions throughout your career.  Go and apply – it will take 4-8 weeks for the first check to arrive and you may already have a job by then anyway.  However, if you don’t apply until you actually NEED the money, you will still have to wait 4-8 weeks for it to arrive, which could put you in a very desperate situation.

Next, when you get home, take a day or two to relax.  This can be an emotionally painful experience and you can expect to feel some grief, some anger and a sense of rejection.  Take a bit of time to sort through this and don’t make dramatic decisions.  Be frugal with your expenses and just let yourself process what has happened.

Once your state of mind is clear, it’s time to make a plan of action.  Before even looking for another job, you should first take a look at your budget.

Eradicate all frivolous expenses.  Until you are employed again and have a steady source of income, it’s important to think about every penny you spend.  For the meantime, skip the fancy coffee from Starbucks, shopping as a recreational activity, and eating out.  Focus on living as frugally as possible.  Talk to your family about this – it will be much easier with them on board.  Have a family meeting and ask everyone, kids included, where some cuts to the budget can be made.  Be sure to respect the suggestions of the children – this will help them to abide by the decisions of the adults because they will feel as though their ideas have been considered.  It turns this budget into a team effort, with input from everyone.  You may be surprised at some of the great ideas that the kids come up with.

Start looking for a job.  Job searches are different for each area and each field.  Cast your net wide, because, as you know, the opportunities are scarce and becoming more so all the time.  Use job search engines, head-hunters, and employment agencies.  Be careful with the agencies – you want to be sure that the fee is paid by the employer and not by you in most cases.  Network with every salesperson, trainer and field representative with whom you interacted at your previous job.  Accept the fact that you may have to relocate or commute if local searches bear no fruit.  Look at your former company’s direct competition – this may be a very viable option.  Look outside your current field and broaden your search.

Look at this as an opportunity.  Sometimes a job loss is a blessing in disguise.  Think back – is there something that you have wanted to do for a while, but couldn’t because the job was tying you to certain hours, a location, or restricting you with a non-competition clause?  This may be the perfect time to look into further training or education.  It might be the right moment to start your own business.  Maybe that move you’ve been considering is more viable now.  You might be able to find a career that is more recession-proof than what you were doing previously.  If you decide to start your own business, focus on something with minimal start-up costs that you can do from home.

Find some money.  Free up some money and make some space at the same time.  Using sites like Craigslist, sell some bigger items that you have no need for.  Think about all those Christmas presents from years gone by that are sitting in the basement or attic – they’ll do you much more good sitting in someone else’s attic with the buyer’s money in your pocket!  Things like exercise equipment, kitchen gadgets, furniture, appliances, books, electronics, toys and used clothing (especially kid’s clothing) are all popular items that people purchase used.

Change the way you shop.  Hopefully, you have a big stockpile of food already sitting in your pantry.  You know that SHTF moment you’ve been waiting for?  This is it.  Shop only to replenish the stockpile and plan your meals around the food you have stored.  Until your unemployment checks start coming in, don’t worry about replacing the food you are depleting.  Save your grocery money to use for bills.  Unfortunately the utilities keep charging you whether you are employed or not.

Losing your job can certainly feel like the end of the world, but sometimes it is the beginning of a new and better world.  For a person who lives a prepared lifestyle, it can be a bump in the road instead of an all-out catastrophe.  Try to look at this as a door opening instead of closing, and hang in there!

Via: readynutrition

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April 13th, 2013
post by policysup | | 0

Unemployment Preparedness: A New Type of Survival

Preparing for the unknown does not only orbit around natural disaster preparedness.  Disasters are defined as a state of extreme misfortune and ruin.  Many are beginning to feel how bad this country’s economy has gotten.  People are losing their jobs right and left, and are now feeling less secure about their future.   And, more and more are beginning to come to realization that the recession is not recovering, but only getting worse.

As a satirical blog so wittingly described the dying U.S. Economy:

 “As you are aware, U.S. Economy was found slain last evening.  While normally the decedent’s name is withheld pending notification of next of kin, we are compelled to alter that practice today.  Agents attempting to contact U.S. Economy’s next of kin, named U.S. Middle Class, have been unsuccessful.  Citizens who have any information or know the whereabouts of U.S. Middle Class are asked to call their local FBI office.”

Source – www.outsidethe-cardboard-box.tumblr.com

Unemployment Preparation

Preparing for a possible bout of unemployment is much like preparing for any type of disaster.  A family must prepare themselves physically and mentally for what could come, and be ready for it when it does.  Preparing for this ahead of time can give a person an advantage for when the impending talk with HR Department  may come.

  • Keep the survival needs in mind: food, water, shelter.  As long as a roof is over your head and there is food to feed the family, then you are fine.
  • Stop all frivolous spending.  Stop eating out, stop getting manicures, stop going to Starbuck’s.  That is all frivolous spending that needs to stop.  Bring your lunch to work and sit outside and eat.  The main focus is to save as much money as possible.
  • Start using coupons and looking at weekly ads for grocery stores.  A person can save a substantial amount of money by looking at discounted goods and not having “brand loyalty.”
  • Buy a few extra short term food items (canned goods, formula, flour, sugar) each time you are at the store.  Accumulating a few items at a time will not break the budget and when the money gets tight, these items will come in handy.
  • Cut the budget as much as possible to get by on the bare necessities.  Hacking the budget and getting rid of all unnecessary spending can really help.  If a family has children and one of the parents stay at home, get them out of daycare and keep them home.  If a family is concerned about a lay off, then they should do all they can to conserve their money.  Try and cut back on energy bills, cable bills, etc.
  •  Have a garage sale to get rid of items that are no longer used.  A person would be surprised at how much money is sitting in gently used items out in their garage.  One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
  • Talk to family members and let them know of the possible threat of unemployment.  Sometimes friends and family have good advise to give.

Assistance is Available

During these hard economic times, unemployment is a terrifying thought.  Especially if a person has a family that is used to having the benefits of medical and dental insurance.   President Barack Obama has come through with one of his promises to the citizens of America.  He has created assistance programs for struggling families that are on the unemployment line.  While a person is going through the process of finding another job, there are some forms of assistance available to them:

Government Assistance Programs

According to the Wall Street Journal, President Barack Obama signed a measure that would extend a federal subsidy for continues health insurance coverage for involuntarily terminated workers under employer group plans.  The law extends the subsidy an additional six months for a total of 15 months.  The subsidy applies only to workers let go by employers.

For a more in depth look at what other government assistance programs are available, click here.

According to some sources, there are some jobs that simply will not be coming back, even if a recovery were to occur.  Many are faced with the choices of continuing their job search in there respected fields, going back to school or finding a new trade all together.  There is an insurmountable amount of stress that is placed on a person when they are out of work.  If a person can prepared ahead of time for this possibility, the shock of having one less paycheck may not come as such a hard blow.

To all of you who are unemployed, I wish you the very best of luck.  We hope that you and your family will find a way to get through this hard time.

Related Resources:

Federal Programs Available to Unemployed Workers

Via: readynutrition

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April 12th, 2013
post by policysup | | 1

They will never see it coming

Have you ever done something really stupid, just because you were in love? Something you look back on and cringe, thinking “why on earth did I do that?”

Of course. Who hasn’t?

Fear. Love. Panic. Exuberance. Jealousy. Desire. These emotions have tremendous influence over human behavior. And when they kick in, they skew our judgment and cause us to do things that can only be characterized as highly irrational.

In the world of economics and finance, they call this ‘sentiment’. Consumer confidence, business confidence, investor confidence… these are basically emotional readings. Screw the numbers. To hell with the truth. It’s all about how people feel.

It seems crazy, but it’s true. Right now, for example, ‘sentiment’ is telling us that the euro crisis is over. It’s telling us that the debt ceiling is pretty much resolved. And, after taking five years to reach pre-crash levels, it’s telling us that the stock market is once again safe for the average investor.

Yet the numbers tell a completely different story.

In the US, politicians are celebrating their accomplishments that the US unemployment rate has declined to 7.6%.

Of course, the real figures show that the labor force participation rate (effectively the percentage of society that they consider to be in the work force) has just hit a 30-year low. And the economy is failing to create new jobs.

Perhaps most of all, the US debt level this year will hit the danger zone that Greece was in just a few years ago when the European debt crisis kicked off in earnest.

In Europe, the situation is so bad that even the government figures are dismal. Italy is officially in a deep recession. Spain is posting a public deficit over 10% of GDP. The Greek economy shrank (officially) nearly 6% last year. Etc.

Bottom line, the numbers don’t match up with sentiment at all. And this makes for precarious investment conditions.

Over the first quarter of this year, US stock mutual funds reported $52 billion in retail investment inflows, according to market data firm TrimTabs. This is the highest inflow in a decade.

In January of this year, retail investors poured a record $77.4 billion into the stock market. To put this in perspective, the prior record, set in February 2000, was $23.7 billion.

You can probably guess how that turned out. This whoosh of money into stocks happened mere months before the crash.

It certainly seems strange when you stack it all together: on one hand, record high deficits, record high debts, record low labor force participation. On the other hand, record high stock market, record high mutual fund inflows.

Something just doesn’t add up.

Investors are throwing caution to the wind right now… ignoring the basic fundamentals and focusing exclusively on euphoric sentiment. (Or central bank policy).

 

Via: Simon Black
Senior Editor, SovereignMan.com

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April 11th, 2013
post by policysup | | 7

How to Prevent Infections – SHTF Survival

Those that are preparing for short term and long term disasters more than likely have begun stocking up on certain supplies, such as bleach, water and baking soda.  As versatile as these prep items are, it’s no wonder that preppers have a good supply of them.  But did you know that when these three items are combined together, they create a powerful antiseptic that can save a life?  This antiseptic, otherwise known as Dakin’s Solution (diluted sodium hydrochlorite solution 0.5%) can be used to kill most bacterias and viruses.

This antiseptic was first discovered during World War I, when doctors on the battlefield were trying to find ways to kill germs and prevent infections, such as gangrene and putrefacation from setting in.  Doctors used Dakin’s solution before and after surgical procedures and for wound irrigation.  It was most beneficial after the wound had been adequately cleaned and foreign material and dead tissue had been removed.

All Supplies Needed:

  • Sodium hydrochlorite solution at 5.25% (Bleach-unscented)
  • Baking soda
  • Clean tap water
  • Clean pan with lid
  • Sterile measuring cups and spoons
  • Sterile jar with a sterile lid
  • Label for jar to label antiseptic, date, time and discard date

Directions:

1.  Wash your hands well with soap and water.

2.  Measure out 32 ounces (4 cups) of clean water.  Pour into a clean pan and allow water to boil for 15 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat.

4.  Using a sterile measuring spoon, add 1/2 tsp. of baking soda to the water.

5.  Measure bleach according to the strength that is desired:

  • For full stregnth – add 3 oz. bleach or 95 ml.
  • For 1/2 strength – add 3 tbls. + 1/2 tsp. or 48 ml
  • For 1/4 strength – add 1 tbls. +2  tsp. or 24 ml.
  • For 1/8 stregnth – add 2 1/2 tsp. or 12-14 ml.

6.  Place the solution in a jar and close it tightly with a sterile lid. Cover the closed jar with tin foil to protect it from sunlight.

7.  Throw away any unused portion of the antiseptic within 48 hours of use.  This solution can be made up to a month prior to using and stored away

Uses For Dakin’s Solution

  • Minor scrapes
  • Skin and tissue infections
  • Can be used before and after surgical procedures to prevent infection
  • Can be used as a mouth wash (should not be swallowed)
  • Used as a wound irrigator solution to clean wounds
  • Can be applied as a wet-to-moist dressing for wounds

According to WebMD, “The body’s own wound-healing tissues and fluids can decrease the antibacterial effect of Dakin’s solution.  Therefore, this solution is often used only once daily for minor wounds and twice daily for heavily draining or contaminated wounds… Additionally, protect the surrounding healthy skin with a moisture barrier ointment (i.e. petroleum jelly) or skin sealant as needed to prevent irritation.”

Additional Information on Dakins Solution

Via: readynutrition

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